The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
What Is the Future of American Strategy in the Western Hemisphere?
English Summary
The publication argues that U.S. strategy in the Western Hemisphere must shift from merely managing regional threats (like migration and crime) to capitalizing on the region’s vast economic and strategic opportunities. Key evidence highlights the hemisphere's immense, underutilized resources, including critical minerals, energy reserves, and agricultural capacity, which are vital for countering U.S. economic and technological decline relative to China. Policymatically, the authors recommend a coherent, geoeconomic approach that leverages private investment and regional partnerships to secure supply chains, advance trade, and consolidate American power base across North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
中文摘要
該出版物主張，美國在西半球的戰略重心必須從單純管理區域威脅（例如移民和犯罪）轉向發掘該地區龐大的經濟和戰略機遇。關鍵證據強調了西半球擁有巨大且未被充分利用的資源，包括關鍵礦物、能源儲備和農業能力，這些資源對於應對美國相對於中國的經濟和技術衰退至關重要。在政策層面，作者建議採取一套連貫的、地緣經濟學的方法，利用私人投資和區域夥伴關係來確保供應鏈、推動貿易，並鞏固美國在北美、拉丁美洲和加勒比地區的勢力基礎。
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